Back of Computer Case

On the back of the computer case are connection ports that are made to fit specific devices. The arrangement of these vary from computer to computer, and many companies have their own special connectors for the specific devices. Some of the ports are color coded to match a color on the device, which will help you determine which port is used with a particular device.

Sample Computer Case

Labeled Back View of Computer Case

1. PS/2 Port
   These ports are called PS/2 ports and are used for the mouse and keyboard. Many people refer to them as the mouse port or the keyboard port.
2. Ethernet Port
   This port looks a lot like the modem or telephone port but it is actually wider. You can use this port for networking and also connecting to the Internet. Ethernet
3. Audio In/Audio Out
   Every computer has a bank of audio ports where you can connect various devices, including speakers, microphones, headsets, and more.Audio
4. VGA Port
   Your monitor can is connected to this port.
5. USB Port
   The Universal Serial Bus port is one of the newest ports, but is also one of the most useful. These USB ports let you attach a variety of devices such as mice, printers, keyboards, web cameras, USB/flash drives, and digital cameras to your computer quickly. Almost every peripheral made comes in a USB version, and installing the devices using USB ports is much easier than connecting devices using parallel and serial ports. This is primarily because USB ports do not require you to reboot your computer before you can use the new device.

Now you try it! Practice connecting the cables with an interactive game.